Franzen's game-winning goal with 47 seconds to play in Thursday's series-clinching victory in Columbus is the latest example of Franzen delivering at a key moment:

• He scored in double-overtime to finish off the Calgary Flames in Game 6 of the first round in 2007.

• He scored in overtime in a pivotal Game 5 against the Nashville Predators last year in the first round.

• He notched a hat trick in the series-clinching victory at Colorado last year in the second round.

"I like when the game's on the line. It calms me down a little bit," Franzen said. "You see other players rushing their shots, they just want to get a shot off so bad. If you would hold onto it a little bit and make a play, it's more likely you will score."

The Red Wings returned to practice Saturday, beginning preparation for the second round, against either the Anaheim Ducks (if they eliminate San Jose) or the Vancouver Canucks (if the Sharks defeat the Ducks).

The series is expected to start either Thursday or Friday.

Franzen leads the Red Wings with six points. He has 15 goals and 24 points in his past 20 playoff games. He had produced consistently since emerging as an offensive force in March of last year, with 51 goals and 85 points in his past 91 games, regular season and playoffs.

"He's a gamer. He's a good goal-scorer, period," Dan Cleary, his linemate, said. "He's very timely. He's been real clutch."

Franzen's line, with Henrik Zetterberg and Cleary, was the club's best unit at both ends of the ice against the Blue Jackets, combining for seven goals while being matched up most of the time against star Rick Nash, who had one goal and two assists.

With his size (6-foot-3, 220 pounds), strength and good hands around the net, Franzen is ideally suited for the playoffs. Despite spending his first two NHL seasons mainly on the third line, in a checking role, Franzen has 19 goals and 34 points in 44 career playoff games.

"He's been spending a lot of time in front of their net and most of the time that's where the puck will end up," Zetterberg said. "It takes a lot to go into those areas and he gets rewarded for it, too."

Franzen has been a candidate for the NHL's "Cy Young Award" -- players who have many more goals than assists -- in three of four seasons, with goals-to-assists ratios of 12-4, 27-11 and 34-25.

But since Feb. 25, he has 11 goals and 16 assists in 26 games, including the first round.

"Probably throwing pucks to the net all the time and people going there. That's how I got my (assists)," Franzen said. "I think I had one pass, the rest is scrums around the net and someone picking the puck up."